This is a significant opportunity for your organization to impact our community by supporting Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Initiative, administered by United Way Southwest Louisiana.
This Initiative provides 3,480 children with monthly free books, igniting their love for reading and laying the foundation for lifelong learning. Unfortunately, a waiting list of 444 children grows daily, underscoring the urgent need for continued support. Alarmingly, statistics show that nearly 60% of children in Louisiana enter kindergarten unprepared for reading, highlighting the critical need for early literacy Initiatives like ours.
It costs an average of $145 for each child to participate in this program. We had always covered 100% of the cost; however, Governor Edwards initiated a plan for the state to pay the price and for the nonprofit running the program to receive no administrative costs for managing the state's programs.
During this time, we redirected our funds to a new Initiative called Success By 6, which provides a year of high-quality early learning and daycare education for ALICE families. We have a single mother finishing her college education while her child is enrolled in Vinton's Lyon's Den full-time. As you may know, Vinton is one of the more impoverished areas we serve, and this gave the mother a way out of generational poverty by allowing her to finish her education. At the same time, her child received high-quality educational instruction. This is our mission. We are committed to growing this vital program while navigating the challenges ahead.
The state of Louisiana ended up paying only 50% of the bill until 2026 when they will end their investment in this program. Meanwhile, we have a growing waitlist that can only be accommodated by raising sufficient funds. This Initiative is essential for promoting early literacy and ensuring children can access high-quality, age-appropriate books.
We plan to hold an inaugural Dolly Run to raise the essential funding. This family-friendly 5K walk/run will feature live music, a mini country fair, a Dolly Parton costume contest, and various activities to celebrate reading and community spirit.
We invite your organization to sponsor this event. By contributing, you will help us keep the Imagination Library thriving and position your business as a champion for literacy and Youth Opportunity in our community. Your support will allow us to reach even more children and make a lasting difference in their lives.
Several sponsorship levels are available, each offering unique promotional opportunities and recognition at the event.
